As the basic performance of absorbent articles, such as sanitary napkins and panty liners has continued to improve with technological development over many years, leakage after absorption of excreta, such as menstrual blood has become a less frequent occurrence than in the past, and research is currently ongoing with the aim of achieving even higher performance, including a feel similar to underwear, and smoothness of the top sheet even after absorption of excreta, such as menstrual blood.
Menstrual blood during menstruation, in particular, can also contain components of the endometrium which are highly viscous, and the top sheet preferably remains smooth and stick-free even after absorption of such highly viscous menstrual blood. Highly viscous menstrual blood usually remains on the top sheet in the form of masses, generally leaving the user with a visually unpleasant image, and therefore from this viewpoint as well it is preferred for no highly viscous menstrual blood to remain on the top sheet.
Nonwoven fabrics for use in top sheets of absorbent articles in the relevant technical field include the one described in PTL 1, for example. The nonwoven fabric described in PTL 1 is designed to provide a nonwoven fabric that has been modified so as to be permeable to fluids at projections, recesses and the like.
Absorbent articles are also known in the technical field that are coated with lotion compositions.
For example, PTL 2 discloses an absorbent article having a polypropylene glycol material-containing lotion composition situated on the inner surface of the top sheet (the clothing side surface), the inner surface of the back sheet (the body side surface), and on the base material between the inner surface of the top sheet and the inner surface of the back sheet.
Also, PTL 3 discloses an absorbent article wherein a polypropylene glycol material-containing lotion composition is applied on the outer surface of the top sheet (body side surface).